An individual typically needs to be authenticated by a computer system before an electronic transaction can be processed. Similarly, the individual is typically authenticated before accessing an account on the computer system.
A common method of authenticating an individual who is performing an electronic transaction is to use a magnetic strip or an electronic chip on a payment card to provide identification information for the individual. A common method of authenticating an individual who accesses an account is to have the individual enter a user ID and a password. However, techniques such as magnetic strips, electronic chips, user ID's, passwords and other traditional techniques can be insufficient to prevent illegal access and fraud.